I am so thrilled to share the most famous and popular "Pakistani food" ideas that you can have on your next visit to Pakistan. Many tourists explore the best food dishes in Pakistan so here I am sharing tasty food, places, and recipes that you can taste and make at your home.
People who are going to visit Pakistan soon will be interested to have some ideas like what to eat in Pakistan. So are the ideas of famous street recipes that will guide you to taste the best around the town.
This post is significantly relevant for overseas Pakistanis who are missing Pakistani food and interested to got the authentic recipe to make at home in the kitchen.
I am Hina, a Pakistan food blogger, recipe developer, and running digital Pakistani food channel. I love to have good food and share recipes with my lovely people to make at home.
You can connect with me on Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram to know more...
1) Karahi
Karahi is the famous and most demanding curry style dish that people love to eat all across Pakistan. It has a unique aroma and taste that compels to eat again and again. People make it in different styles according to their region. Most people love chicken and mutton karahi.
If you are going to visit Pakistan then here are some ideas for you to have karahi with variety Like;
- Charsi Karahi
- Peshawari Shinwari Karahi
- Karachi Chicken Karahi
- Lahori Mutton Karahi
- Kali Mirch Chicken Karahi
Karahi is famous food in Peshawar as well so if you are visiting Peshawar then don't forget to eat Charsi Karahi from Namak Mandi. In Karachi, you can visit burns road to find the best karahi option. In lahore, visit Butt Karahi from Lakshmi chowk.
If you are interested to make at your home kitchen then explore the recipe.
2) Chicken Tikka
Another tourist attraction is delicious and aromatic 'Chicken Tikka'. It's a barbecue recipe so the aroma of meat on coal makes it tempting to eat. People loves to eat tikka with green salad, raita or chutney. Naan is the perfect combination to make a perfect tikka bite.
There are so many places all across Pakistan where you can find tikka.
Here are some flavors in chicken tikka that you can explore:
- green tikka
- malai tikka
- masala tikka
- charsi tikka
- kali mirch tikka
If you are interested to make at your home kitchen then explore the recipe. You can easily cook on a stovetop using pan otherwise you can grill or make on coal.
3) Pakora
Pakistani pakora has a special flavor that people love to eat on the street side. It's a snack recipe that people make with gram flour (besan) by adding a variety of vegetables. One of the most popular snack idea. Serve with chutney.
Here are some famous combination of Pakoras:
- Onion pakora
- potato pakora
- lachha pakora
- veg pakora
- chicken pakora
- fish pakora
If you want to make pakora in your home kitchen here is the step by step recipe video to try.
4) Gola Kabab
Kebab is so famous and main course dish in Pakistani cuisine. If you love kabab then must try this goal kabab recipe. Pakistani street is packed with different options of kebabs so explore this recipe available in the restaurant and popular on food street.
It's a ball of minced meat mixed with spices and cooked on coal/grill. Once you will try this recipe, you will come again to eat.
Here is the step by step goal kabab recipe for foodies to try at home.
5) Chicken Korma
One of the signature recipe of Pakistani food. Mutton, beef, and chicken korma is the most recommended dish in dawat menu. People serve it on weddings that the reason why 'shadiyon wala korma' or degi korma is so famous that fascinate people to eat due to unique flavor, taste, and texture.
Traditional style danedar chicken korma is the authentic presentation in which meat cooked with yogurt and spices and garam masala. The paste of brown onion gives it a unique taste and texture that makes it distinguished among other curry or gravy recipes.
Here is the step by step recipe of chicken korma:
6) Biryani
Biryani - the most popular and best Pakistani food that people love to eat. If you are visiting Pakistan then don't forget to eat Biryani. It's a special rice dish cooked with meat curry. So aromatic and delicious in taste.
A variety of biryani option is available all across Pakistan.
Here is some famous place in Pakistan to eat biryani. Karachi biryani is famous so people love it from all the corners of Pakistan and whenever visit Karachi then Biryani is the first choice to eat.
Recommended for dawat, get together, parties, and signature dish at weddings.
- Food Center Biryani
- Student Biryani
- Ghousia Nalli Biryani
- Biryani of the seas
- Karachi White Biryani
Explore the recipe of 'white biryani' to try at home kitchen.
7) Kachori
One of the best street snack recipes for foodies to try. Kachori is famous all across Pakistan especially in Ramadan people make it in bulk and finish in no time.
Kachori is crispy from the outside and stuffed with a variety of options like minced meat or vegetables. It's a perfect recipe that will keep you full for a long time.
Watch step by step Kachori making video
8) Seekh Kabab
Famous and demanding seekh kabab recipe makes with special Seekh Kabab Powder that makes it delicious and aromatic. Normally people make it on bbq skewers and grill under coal smoke but here I am sharing an easy recipe to make in frying pan and grill so it would be convenient for you to make this recipe in an easy way.
9) Chicken White Karahi
Most popular “chicken white karahi” recipe that people love to eat across the world. One of the best Pakistani chicken curry prepared in wok (karahi). It’s a famous street food dish served with tandoori naan. The texture of the dish shows creamy white gravy and tender chicken cooked with white masala spices. Extremely delicious in taste and aroma compels to eat again and again.
Watch Making of Chicken White Karahi
10) Gola Kabab
11) Chana Chaat
Mouthwatering and tasty snack that will make your teatime special and memorable. I love to make chana chaat with my evening tea as it makes it more special and memorable and family loved it. There are so many street food points where people can find lip-smacking chana chaat.
12) Dahi Bhalla
One of the best street food recipe that people crave. It’s a form of fried dumplings made with lentils (daal) then added with spicy yogurt and chaat masala to add more flavor.
13) Fry Kabab
If you are visiting Karachi then don't forget to try 'Fry Kabab' from Waheed kabab house at burns road. It's a special kabab recipe in which minced meat cooked like a gravy. Every bite of fry kabab makes it special due to unique taste. Must try this recipe and share it with your family and friends.
14) Pulao Biryani (Trending)
It's a fusion of pulao and biryani. If you are craving biryani and at the same time want to eat pulao then must try this pulao biryani. Super tasty and one of the best addition to Pakistani food. It's a new recipe trending all across Pakistan.
15) Keema Naan
If you are visiting Lahore and Pindi then don't forget to eat 'Keema wala naan'. One of the main attractions for lahories to eat this naan. Super delicious and one of the best naan recipe that I ever find. The naan is packed with dried minced meat and cooked in a tandoor that makes it extremely delicious and aromatic.
16) Chappal Kebab
Chapli kebab is a royal style Pashtun minced kebab famous as Peshawari kabab or Chappal kabab, normally made with ground mutton lamb, beef or chicken with the addition of several spices form a kabab (patti) then fried to make it golden brown color. Delicious in taste and people love to eat it. Best dish for tourists from Peshawar.
17) Charsi Karahi
Planning to visit Peshawar then must try Nisar Charsi Karahi in Namak Mandi. As it’s a countrywide famous karahi now and people love to visit their place to taste the original flavor of karahi. I’d like to share, one of my friends who visited Peshawar brought this as a gift for us and it was the best taste in our dining. Everybody loved and super excited to eat again once we will go to Peshawar.
18) Haleem (Daleem)
Pakistani haleem is one of the most popular dish in Pakistani cuisine. Many people get confused with Haleem and Khichda as it seems similar in look. Haleem is more smooth in texture while the Khichda is coarsely ground so it’s not mashed as haleem. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
You will find so many places in Pakistan to get the best haleem.
Explore Haleem Recipe step by step
19) Halwa Puri (Pakistani Breakfast (Nashta)
Famous breakfast recipe of Pakistan. Locally called desi nashta! Pakistani people love to eat halwa puri on weekend or holidays.
There are so many special places to explore the best taste of halwa puri all over Pakistan.
Puri is the form of bread that makes with all-purpose flour dough and deep-fried in oil. It's fluffy, steamy, soft, and chewy in eating. People love to have puri with chickpea curry (locally famous; chikkar cholay) and soji halwa made with semolina.
One of the best breakfast recipe and once you try this, you will love the idea and combination of food with puri.
20) Bun Kabab
One of the most demanding and popular recipe of Karachi street food that people love to eat on the road side. Normally bun kabab makes in different style but the aloo anday bun kabab is so common and scrumptious in taste.
21) Aloo Gosht Ka Salan
Famous one-pot salan recipe of Pakistani cuisine that you can eat at lunch and dinner as main coarse. It’s a stew type curry cooked with mutton and potatoes. Full of spices and delicious in taste. People also serve this recipe as a wedding dish (Shadiyon wala aloo gosht).
Watch Making of Paksitani Aloo Gosht ka Salan
22) Rasmalai
Rasmalai is a famous Bengali, Pakistani and Indian sweet dish or dessert that people love to eat. People from Pakistan and India love to serve ‘Rasmalai’ at special events like weddings, family gettogether, and festivals
23) Samosa
Samosa is a famous and most popular street food snack that people love to eat. It's a form of fried pastry with a savory filling, such as spicy mashed potatoes, vegetables, chicken, and other fillings ideas. It can be folded or wrap in different forms but triangular samosa is so famous and traditionally people make it.
24) Club Sandwich
Sandwiches are one of the most adorable tea time and breakfast snacks that people love to eat in different ways. Restaurant style club is so famous and every cafe serves with tea. In Karachi, you will find the best club sandwich from Kaybees.
I am making this chicken sandwich with the layer of mayo, eggs, and cheese that makes a perfect combination to take a tasty bite.
25) Nihari
It's a famous dish of subcontinent especially people from India and Pakistan love to eat nihari. In Pakistan, nalli nihari, bong nihari, maghaz nihari has a special taste.
Nihari means morning that comes from the Arabic word 'Nahar'. It's a royal dish that people love to eat in breakfast.
In Karachi, Zahid and Javed ki nihari is so famous and people love to it while visiting Karachi.
26) Koftay
Koftay ka salan is famous and special recipe in Pakistani cuisine. It's a meat ball curry. Kofta curry can be cooked in different ways the but the traditional style mutton kofta curry has special taste and aroma. People normally have curries with roti and it becomes more special if you have it with tandoori roti.
27) Kadhi Pakora
Kadhi will add special place on your dining. It's a non veg recipe that everybody loves. Prepared with yogurt and gram flour as main ingredients.
I personally make it for weekend lunch and serve with boiled rice. It has a special taste with pakora so all veg and nonveg foodies love to have it. Gram flour (besan), yogurt (dahi) and other spices makes a perfect combination with sour taste. Some people also serve kadhi with chapati and phulka.
28) Fried Fish
Yes, fried fish is famous Pakistani food. People love to eat masala fried fish. If you are going to Lahore then don't forget to eat 'Lahori fish' from food street.
In Karachi, masala fish is famous. Finger fish from burns road is tempting and delicious in taste. You can have it as sea food snack.
29) Broast
Broasted chicken is famous and popular and on every street food, you will find the best recipe of chicken broast. It's delicious in taste and texture is similar to KFC style fried chicken.
30) Naan
Pakistani cuisine remain incomplete without naan or roti. Naan is a form of bread that serve with curry and kababs. Tandoori naan, kulcha, roghni naan and some other flavor of naan are trending and famous in Pakistani food.
31) Rasgulla
In sweet recipes locally called mithai. Rasgulla has special place after gulab jamun. Spongy Rasgulla or rosogulla is the most famous Pakistani and Indian sweet dish. If you are looking best ‘Rasgulla in Karachi then try 'Rehmat e Shireen'.
Rasgulla prepare with cheena (cottage cheese). Extremely delicious and juicy sweet dish for foodies to try.
32) Kheer
Chawal ki kheer or rice kheer recipe is the famous an most demanding recipe of south Asia, especially local people want to make it on their special events like wedding, family get-togethers, and other special occasions. People love to taste kheer in “mitti ki thali” but at home, you can make it in a variety of ways, and present in different styles.
All these recipes are simple and easy to cook for foodies at home. If you are in love with Pakistani food then surely try these recipes with confidence. Beginners can also give it a try as all the methods are easy to handle and cooking is simple and quick. I normally use minimal spices so it's a great ideas to taste Pakistani cuisine full of taste and aroma. Happy Cooking - Happy Watching!!
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